Driving support apparatus and driving support method

ABSTRACT

An image of the nearby surroundings of a user&#39;s vehicle is displayed, which includes images of the user&#39;s vehicle and threshold lines that define a range of distance from the user&#39;s vehicle. The image of the nearby surroundings of the user&#39;s vehicle is changed in accordance with a positional relationship between another vehicle and the range of distance.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a driving support apparatus and drivingsupport method for informing a user of the approach of a moving objectto the user's vehicle.

BACKGROUND ART

A technique in which a display device arranged on the user's vehicledisplays information about a moving object by using a mark or lettershas been proposed. The technique is used for informing a user of theapproach of the moving object to the user's vehicle.

For example, an information providing device disclosed in PatentLiterature 1 identifies a vehicle that is likely to the approach to theuser's vehicle. The device displays the identified vehicle with an icon,changes a size of the icon in accordance with a distance between theuser's vehicle and the identified vehicle, and changes a stripe patternwhich is a background image of the icon, in accordance with a speed ofthe identified vehicle. Thereby, the user can intuitively recognize theapproach of the identified vehicle to the user's vehicle.

Patent Literature 2 discloses a driving support apparatus that displaysa mark having an arrow shape representing either degree of approachingof another target vehicle to the user's vehicle or degree of leaving ofanother target vehicle from the user's vehicle when the target vehicleis located obliquely behind the user's vehicle.

In this apparatus, a guide line is displayed in addition to the markhaving the arrow shape. The guide line indicates the risk to the user'svehicle due to the target vehicle traveling on a lane adjacent to theuser's vehicle when the user's vehicle tries to move to the adjacentlane. For example, when the target vehicle is approaching the user'svehicle at a relatively high speed, the mark representing a movement ofthe target vehicle, which is a relatively long arrow toward the user'svehicle, is displayed such that the relatively long arrow is across theguide line. With such a display, the user can recognize that lane-changeof the user's vehicle is risky because the target vehicle is approachingthe user's vehicle.

CITATION LIST Patent Literatures

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No.2007-102577.

Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No.2008-15758.

Technical Problem

In the prior art, a displayed pattern of a moving object is changed inaccordance with degree of approaching of the moving object to a user'svehicle. However, in the prior art, the user's vehicle is not displayedand a positional relationship between the user's vehicle and the movingobject is not indicated. Thus, there exists a problem that a user cannotintuitively recognize a situation around the user's vehicle includingthe positional relationship between the user's vehicle and the movingobject.

For example, the device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 does notdisplay the user's vehicle, but displays the icon indicating theidentified vehicle that is likely to approach the user's vehicle. Thedevice indicates the degree of approaching of the identified vehicle tothe user's vehicle by changing the size of the icon and changing thepattern of the background image. The user can recognize the direction inwhich the identified vehicle is present, based on a location of the iconappearing on a display screen. However, the user cannot intuitivelyrecognize the situation around the user's vehicle, because the userneeds to guess the positional relationship between the user's vehicleand the identified vehicle based on the change of the icon size and thechange of the background image pattern.

The apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 2 does not display theuser's vehicle, similarly to the case of Patent Literature 1, andinstead displays the arrow indicating the target vehicle and the guideline indicating the risk of the target vehicle to the user's vehicle.The user can roughly recognize the positional relationship between theuser's vehicle and the target vehicle by using the guide line as areference. However, the user needs to guess the positional relationshipbetween the user's vehicle and the target vehicle based on both thearrow indicating the target vehicle and the guide line.

The present invention is made in order to solve the above-mentionedproblem, and it is therefore an object of the present invention toprovide a driving support apparatus and driving support method withwhich a user can intuitively recognize a situation around the user'svehicle including a positional relationship between the user's vehicleand a moving object around the user's vehicle.

Solution to Problem

In accordance with of the present invention, there is provided a drivingsupport apparatus which includes: a processor to execute a program; anda memory to store therein the program which, when executed by theprocessor, causes the processor to perform operations. The operationsinclude: acquiring a positional relationship between at least one movingobject and one or more ranges of distance from a user's vehicle, each ofthe one or more ranges of distance being a range in which a notificationof approach of the moving object to the user's vehicle is to beprovided; causing a display device to display an image of nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle including images of the user'svehicle and threshold lines that define the one or more ranges ofdistance; and changing the image of nearby surroundings of the user'svehicle in accordance with the acquired positional relationship.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, the image of the nearby surroundingsof a user's vehicle is displayed, including the images of the user'svehicle and the threshold lines defining the one or more ranges ofdistance, each range of distance being a range in which a notificationof the approach of the moving object to the user's vehicle is to beprovided. Thereby, the user can intuitively recognize the situationaround the user's vehicle including the positional relationship betweenthe user's vehicle and the moving object around the user's vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a configuration of a drivingsupport apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 1;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating operations of the driving supportapparatus in accordance with Embodiment 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating ranges of distance in each ofwhich a notification of the approach of another vehicle is to beprovided;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the ranges of distance whenrelative velocities between a user's vehicle and the target vehicles aresmaller as compared to the case shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the ranges of distance whenthe relative velocities between the user's vehicle and the targetvehicles are larger as compared to the case shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 illustrates an image of the nearby surroundings of a user'svehicle including images of the user's vehicle and threshold linesarranged at the sides of the user's vehicle;

FIG. 7 illustrates an image of the nearby surroundings of a user'svehicle including images of the user's vehicle and threshold linesarranged in front of and at the back of the user's vehicle;

FIG. 8 illustrates an image of the nearby surroundings of a user'svehicle including images of the user's vehicle and threshold linesarranged at the sides of, in front of and at the back of the user'svehicle;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating examples of icons indicating targetvehicles, each icon being set corresponding to one vehicle type;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed when thedriving of another target vehicle to the user's vehicle is in a safestate;

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed when thedriving of another target vehicle to the user's vehicle is in anattention-requiring state;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed when thedriving of another target vehicle to the user's vehicle is in an alertstate;

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed when thetarget vehicle further approaches the user's vehicle from a positionshown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a layer structure of a display screenin accordance with Embodiment 1;

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary display of ranges ofdistance set at both sides of, in front of and at the back of the user'svehicle;

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed whenanother target vehicle moves into an area A;

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed whenanother target vehicle moves into a zone D;

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed whenanother target vehicle moves into a zone E from the area A;

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed whenanother target vehicle moves into the zone E from the zone D;

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed whenanother target vehicle moves into the area A and the zone D;

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed whenanother target vehicle moves into the area D from the area A after astate shown in FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed when twoother target vehicles move into the area A and the zone D, respectively;

FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed when onetarget vehicle moves into the zone E from the area A after the stateshown in FIG. 22;

FIGS. 24A to 24C illustrate exemplary images displayed when the user'svehicle is viewed from various viewpoints at different verticallocations in a plan view;

FIGS. 25A to 25C illustrate exemplary images displayed when the user'svehicle is viewed from various viewpoints at different horizontallocations in a plan view;

FIG. 26 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a drivingsupport apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 2;

FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating operations of the driving supportapparatus in accordance with Embodiment 2; and

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed inaccordance with Embodiment 2.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, for detailed descriptions of the invention, variousembodiments for carrying out the invention will be explained withreference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are diagrams illustrating a configuration of adriving support apparatus 1 in accordance with Embodiment 1. FIG. 1A isa functional block diagram and FIG. 1B is a diagram of a hardwareconfiguration. In FIG. 1A, the driving support apparatus 1 is anapparatus that informs a user of the approach of a moving object such asanother vehicle to a user's vehicle. The driving support apparatus 1includes an information collector 10, a vehicle detector 11, a distancedeterminer 12, a distance state calculator 13, a vehicle type identifier14, an informing processor 15, and an informing device 16.

Among components of the driving support apparatus 1, the vehicledetector 11, the distance determiner 12, the distance state calculator13, the vehicle type identifier 14, and the informing processor 15 canbe constituted, for example, by a processor 100 such as a CentralProcessing Unit (CPU) or a system LSI (Large-Scale Integrated circuit).The processor 100 executes a program that is stored in a memory 101shown in FIG. 1B. Processing circuits may work together to function asabove-mentioned components.

The information collector 10 collects information indicating a situationaround the user's vehicle, and transmits the collected information tothe vehicle detector 11.

The information collector 10 can be implemented, for example, using anyof devices: imaging devices such as a camera and an infrared camera, andvarious sensors such as a ranging sensor, a velocity sensor, a colorsensor, and a millimeter wave radar.

Each of the camera and the infrared camera has an area for imaging thatincludes part of the surroundings of the user's vehicle and nearby areasat both sides of the user's vehicle, and obtains image informationindicating the nearby surroundings of a user's vehicle. The rangingsensor and the millimeter wave radar obtain information on a distancebetween an object around the user's vehicle and the user's vehicle. Thevelocity sensor obtains information on a velocity of a moving objectaround the user's vehicle. The color sensor detects a color of theobject around the user's vehicle.

The vehicle detector 11 detects at least one moving object moving in anarea around the user's vehicle. The vehicle detector 11 identifies themoving object and a stationary object which exists around the user'svehicle, on the basis of information received from the informationcollector 10. Thus, the vehicle detector 11 obtains information on themoving object except for the stationary object. The vehicle detector 11transmits the information on the moving object to the distancedeterminer 12 and the vehicle type identifier 14. Note that theinformation on the moving object includes the position, size and shapeof the moving object as well as detected information indicating whitelines at both sides of a lane on which the user's vehicle is traveling,and image information indicating part of areas at both sides of theuser's vehicle.

For example, the vehicle detector 11 performs image analysis on acaptured image of the nearby surroundings of a user's vehicle thereby toidentify or detect an object as a moving object such as another vehicletraveling in front of, at the back of, or at one of the sides of theuser's vehicle or a pedestrian walking on a shoulder of the road, and/orto identify or detect an object as a stationary object such as abuilding, a road sign, or a guard fence around the road on which theuser's vehicle is traveling. Additionally, the vehicle detector 11 maydetermine whether the detected object is the moving object in accordancewith temporal change in distance between the detected object and theuser's vehicle, which is measured by the ranging sensor.

Note that the vehicle detector 11 may use information collected by aninformation collector provided by another apparatus other than thedriving support apparatus 1. In this case, the driving support apparatus1 may not have the information collector 10.

The distance determiner 12 determines the distance between the user'svehicle and the moving object detected by the vehicle detector 11. Forexample, the distance determiner 12 determines the distance between theuser's vehicle and the moving object in accordance with locationinformation of the moving object received from the vehicle detector 11,and transmits the determined distance, as measurement information of thedistance associated with the moving object, to the distance statecalculator 13.

Additionally, the distance determiner 12 may extract distanceinformation on the moving object detected by the vehicle detector 11from among pieces of distance information on objects around the user'svehicle obtained by the ranging sensor.

The distance determiner 12 calculates a lane width of a traffic route onwhich the user's vehicle is traveling, in accordance with the detectedinformation indicating the white lines at both sides of the lane, whichis included in the information on the moving object.

In addition, the distance determiner 12 calculates a width of the user'svehicle by performing image analysis on the image information indicatingpart of areas at both sides of the user's vehicle, which is included inthe information on the moving object.

The measurement information of the distance associated with the movingobject includes the measurement result of the distance between themoving object and the user's vehicle, as well as measurement informationof the lane width of the traffic route on which the user's vehicle istraveling and the width of the user's vehicle.

The width of the user's vehicle can be measured by the distancedeterminer 12 as initial setting when the driving support apparatus 1 isinstalled on the user's vehicle. Alternatively, the width of the user'svehicle may be stored in advance in the distance state calculator 13instead of being measured by the distance determiner 12.

The distance state calculator 13 is a component that responds to anacquiring unit in the invention, and performs a calculation on the basisof the measurement information obtained by the distance determiner 12 tothereby determine the positional relationship between the moving objectand the one or more ranges of distance from the user's vehicle in whicha notification of the approach of the moving object is to be provided.

For example, as setting information for the distance state calculator13, distance thresholds, which define the range of distance from theuser's vehicle in which a notification of approach of the moving objectis to be provided, are set in advance for both sides of, in front of andat the back of the user's vehicle.

The distance state calculator 13 calculates the positional relationshipindicating whether the moving object around the user's vehicle movesinto the range of distance, on the basis of the distance between theuser's vehicle and the moving object, which is measured by the distancedeterminer 12, the lane width of the traffic route on which the user'svehicle is traveling, the width of the user's vehicle, and the distancethresholds set in advance. Information indicating the positionalrelationship is transmitted to the informing processor 15 from thedistance state calculator 13.

The vehicle type identifier 14 is a component corresponding to adeterminer in the invention, to identify a type of the moving objectdetected by the vehicle detector 11. For example, the vehicle typeidentifier 14 matches image information indicating the moving objectreceived from the vehicle detector 11, against pre-provided shapepatterns of moving objects, thus identifying the type of the movingobject, and transmits an object type identification result to theinforming processor 15. As types of moving object, a normal-sizedvehicle such as a sedan and a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), a large-sizedvehicle such as a truck and a bus, a small-sized vehicle such as amotorcycle and a bicycle, a human being, and an animal are exemplified.

The informing processor 15 is a component that corresponds to aninforming processor in the invention. For example, the informingprocessor 15 causes a display device of the informing device 16 todisplay the image of the nearby surroundings of a user's vehicle.

The image of the nearby surroundings of a user's vehicle includes imagesof the user's vehicle and threshold lines that define the one or moreranges of distance from the user's vehicle (e.g. an attention zone andan alert zone explained later with respect to FIG. 3) in each of which anotification of approach of the moving object is to be provided. Eachthreshold line is displayed as a line image corresponding to thedistance threshold that defines a range of distance from the user'svehicle in which a notification of approach of the moving object is tobe provided.

In addition, the informing processor 15 changes the image of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle in accordance with the positionalrelationship acquired by the distance state calculator 13. For example,in accordance with the positional relationship acquired by the distancestate calculator 13, the informing processor 15 may change colors of theattention zone and the alert zone in the image of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle, and may causes an image of themoving object to appear in the image of the nearby surroundings of theuser's vehicle, in accordance with the positional relationship acquiredby the distance state calculator 13.

Moreover, the informing processor 15 selects, as an image to bedisplayed, the image of the moving object corresponding to the type ofthe moving object identified by the vehicle type identifier 14 fromamong pre-provided images of moving objects for each type.

Alternatively, the informing processor 15 may use a pre-provided imagewithout relying on a type of moving object. In this case, the drivingsupport apparatus 1 may not have the vehicle type identifier 14.

The informing device 16 is a unit to provide notification informationfor the user. The information unit 16 includes a display 102 that can atleast visually inform the user of the information as shown in FIG. 1B.

The display 102 is a display device that is arranged at a place on whichthe user in the user's vehicle can visually focus with ease, anddisplays the image of the nearby surroundings of the user's vehiclegenerated by the informing processor 15. As the display 102, a displaydevice disposed on a middle portion of a dashboard, a display device asan instrument panel, or a head-up display is exemplified. Note that theinforming device 16 may be a display device mounted in a differentapparatus other than the driving support apparatus 1. In this case, thedriving support apparatus 1 may not have the informing device 16.

Next, operations will be described.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating operations of the driving supportapparatus in accordance with Embodiment 1, and indicating operations inwhich the driving support apparatus informs the user of the approach ofanother vehicle to the user's vehicle.

In FIG. 2, processes in Steps ST1 to ST4 are consecutively andrepeatedly executed until a user of the user's vehicle finishes driving.

First, the information collector 10 monitors the situation around theuser's vehicle, and obtains the information indicating the situationaround the user's vehicle (Step ST1). The information indicating thesituation around the user's vehicle includes information about an objectexisting around the user's vehicle and information about the road onwhich the user's vehicle is traveling. When the object such as anothervehicle around the user's vehicle is a moving object, the informationcollector 10 obtains a relative location of the moving object withrespect to the user's vehicle in addition to appearance information suchas the size and shape of the moving object. The information about theroad on which the user's vehicle is traveling includes image data ofseparate white lines defining the lane.

Note that a plurality of information collectors 10 can be disposed, forexample, at both sides of, in front of and at the back of the user'svehicle. Each information collector 10 independently and continuouslyobtains the information indicating the situation around the user'svehicle.

Information collection scope of the information collector 10 is adisc-like range spreading in a horizontal direction around eachinformation collector. The radius of the disc-like range is, forexample, about 10 meters. Note that the radius of the informationcollection scope depends on the types or capabilities of a sensor and acamera included in the information collector 10.

In Step ST2, the vehicle detector 11 receives the information indicatingthe situation around the user's vehicle obtained in real-time by theinformation collector 10, and, among the received information,identifies information on the moving object and information on thestationary object. The moving object is an object such as anothervehicle, a human being or an animal around the user's vehicle, which hasa probability of colliding with the user's vehicle when moving. Thestationary object is an object such as a roadside tree, a guard fence ora road sign, which does not move.

Since the stationary object does not actively approach the user'svehicle, the stationary object is excluded from targets that shouldtrigger notifications of approaches to the user's vehicle. On the otherhand, the moving object has a probability of coming in contact with orcolliding with the user's vehicle when both the user's vehicle and themoving object move, and thus is a target that should trigger anotification of approach to the user's vehicle.

After identifying the information on the moving object from theinformation indicating the situation around the user's vehicle, thevehicle detector 11 outputs the information on the moving object to thedistance determiner 12 and the vehicle type identifier 14. Theinformation on the moving object includes the relative location of themoving object with respect to the user's vehicle in addition to theappearance information of the moving object.

The distance determiner 12 extracts information corresponding to therelative location of the moving object with respect to the user'svehicle from among the information on the moving object. Then, thedistance determiner 12 determines the distance between the moving objectand the user's vehicle in accordance with the information correspondingto the relative location.

Note that the determination of the distance between the moving objectand the user's vehicle is continuously and repeatedly executed for themoving object identified by the vehicle detector 11. The distancedeterminer 12 outputs the distance determined thereby between the movingobject and the user's vehicle to the distance state calculator 13 oneafter another.

The vehicle type identifier 14 extracts the appearance information ofthe moving object from among the information on the moving object thatis identified by the vehicle detector 11. Then, the vehicle typeidentifier 14 identifies the type of the moving object based on theappearance information.

For example, the vehicle type identifier 14 obtains a captured image ofthe moving object as the appearance information of the moving object,and performs image analysis on the captured image thereby to match animage of the moving object against the pre-provided shape pattern of themoving object, thus identifying the type of the moving object. As thetypes of a moving object, a normal-sized vehicle such as a sedan or aSport Utility Vehicle (SUV), a large-sized vehicle such as a truck or abus, a small-sized vehicle such as a motorcycle or a bicycle, a humanbeing, and an animal are exemplified.

In Step ST3, the distance state calculator 13 performs a calculation onthe basis of the measurement information obtained by the distancedeterminer 12 to thereby acquire the positional relationship between themoving object and the one or more ranges of distance from the user'svehicle in each of which a notification of the approach of the movingobject to the user's vehicle is to be provided.

Note that the range of distance from the user's vehicle, in which anotification of the approach of the moving object is to be provided, isa range that is defined in accordance with predetermined distancethresholds from the user's vehicle. When the moving object is anothertarget vehicle other than the user's vehicle, the distance statecalculator 13 determines, as a traveling state of the target vehicle, apositional relationship as to whether the target vehicle moves into therange of distance. This determination process will be explained later indetail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8.

In Step ST4, the informing processor 15 generates the image of thenearby surroundings of the user's vehicle including the images of theuser's vehicle and the threshold lines defining at least one of theranges of distance, and causes the display of the informing device 16 todisplay the image of the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle.

When the informing processor 15 receives the traveling state of thetarget vehicle acquired by the distance state calculator 13 and the typeof the target vehicle identified by the vehicle type identifier 14, theinforming processor 15 superimposes the image of the target vehicle onthe image of the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle for display.In this way, the notification information based on the determinationresults generated by the distance state calculator 13 is provided by theinforming device 16.

The display 16D of the informing device 16, which is disposed at theplace on which the user can visually focus with ease, displays the imageof the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle in a plan-view or in abird's-eye-view (For example, images 16A-16C and 16E). In thebird's-eye-view, the display displays a user's vehicle, a moving object,and a road R on which the user's vehicle is traveling, which are muchmore three-dimensional as compared to the plan-view image.

As the display disposed at the place on which the user can visuallyfocus with ease, the display device disposed on the middle portion ofthe dashboard, the display device as the instrument panel, and thehead-up display are exemplified.

Further, when the display displays, as the image of the target vehicle,an icon corresponding to the type of the target vehicle identified bythe vehicle type identifier 14, the user can intuitively recognize thetarget vehicle.

The processes in Steps ST1 to ST4 are consecutively and repeatedlyexecuted.

That is, when the user drives the user's vehicle (NO in Step ST5), theprocess returns to Step ST1 and a series of processes in Step ST1 toStep ST4 is repeatedly executed.

On the other hand, when the user stops driving the user's vehicle (YESin Step ST5), a series of processes in Step ST1 to Step ST4 isterminated. Note that the stop of driving corresponds to, for example, astate in which a drive portion such as an engine of the user's vehicleis stopped and power supply to electrical components of the user'svehicle is stopped.

Next, a determination process in Step ST3 shown in FIG. 2 will bedescribed in detail.

An example of a case in which target vehicles as moving objects arepresent around the user's vehicle will be explained.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the ranges of distance ineach of which a notification of the approach of another vehicle 1 is tobe provided. In FIG. 3, it is assumed that the user's vehicle 7 istraveling on local streets in an ordinary state. Note that the travelingin an ordinary state means, for example, a traveling state in which theuser's vehicle 7 is traveling on the road at a legal speed.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the ranges of distance whenrelative velocities between the user's vehicle 7 and the target vehiclesT are smaller as compared to the case shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is aschematic diagram illustrating the ranges of distance when the relativevelocities between the user's vehicle 7 and the target vehicles T arelarger as compared to the case shown in FIG. 3.

In this invention, with regard to the positional relationship between amoving object and the range of distance from the user's vehicle, thatis, the traveling state of the moving object, determined by the distancestate calculator 13, there are three types of the traveling state of thetarget vehicle: a safe state, an attention-requiring state, and an alertstate.

The safe state is a state in which the user's vehicle and a targetvehicle are separated from each other such that the target vehicle isoutside the attention zone set in advance. When this positionalrelationship is maintained, the user's vehicle is able to safely travelwithout coming in contact with the target vehicle.

The attention-requiring state is a state in which the distance betweenthe user's vehicle and a target vehicle is in a predetermined attentionzone but is outside an alert zone. The attention zone corresponds to afirst range of distance in this invention, and has the probability thatthe target vehicle comes in contact with the user's vehicle in a casewhere the user's vehicle approaches the target vehicle through anoperation of the user's vehicle, such as a lane-change or a left/rightturn.

The alert state is a state in which the distance between the user'svehicle and a target vehicle is in a predetermined alert zone. The alertzone is the nearest zone away from the user's vehicle, and correspondsto a second range of distance in this invention. When the target vehiclemoves into the alert zone, the user is required to immediately maneuverthe user's vehicle to avoid contact with the target vehicle.

In FIG. 3, a lane width A is a width of the lane L on which the user'svehicle 7 is traveling. An inter-vehicle distance B is a distancebetween the user's vehicle 7 and another vehicle T behind the user'svehicle 7. A user's vehicle width C is a width of the user's vehicle 7.An inter-vehicle distance D is a distance between the user's vehicle 7and another vehicle T at the left side of the user's vehicle 7.

A distance threshold H is a predetermined threshold value of thedistance set at the left side of the user's vehicle 7. The distancethreshold H defines the alert zone arranged at the left side of theuser's vehicle 7. The range of distance L1 and the range of distance L2correspond to predetermined threshold values of the distances set at theback of the user's vehicle 7. L1 defines the alert zone arranged at theback of the user's vehicle 7. L2 defines the attention zone arranged atthe back of the user's vehicle 7.

Note that both the attention zone and the alert zone are set at the leftside of the user's vehicle 7 and at the back of the user's vehicle 7 inFIG. 3. Alternatively, these zones may be set at the right side of theuser's vehicle 7 and in front of the user's vehicle 7.

Conditions for the positional relationship indicating the safe state arerepresented by the following expression (1).D>(A−C)/2 or B≥(L1+L2)  (1)

When the positional relationship between the user's vehicle 7 and thetarget vehicle T satisfies the expression (I), the target vehicle T isoutside the attention zone. Thus, the traveling state of the targetvehicle T is judged as being the safe state.

Conditions for the positional relationship indicating theattention-requiring state are represented by the following expression(2).(A−C)/2≥D>H or (L1+L2)>B≥L1  (2)

When the positional relationship between the user's vehicle 7 and thetarget vehicle T satisfies the expression (2), the target vehicle T isin the attention zone. Thus, the traveling state of the target vehicle Tis judged as the attention-requiring state.

Conditions for the positional relationship indicating the alert stateare represented by the following expression (3).H≥D or L1≥B  (3)

When the positional relationship between the user's vehicle 7 and thetarget vehicle T satisfies the expression (3), the target vehicle T isin the alert zone. Thus, the traveling state of the target vehicle T isjudged as the alert state.

The distance thresholds H, L1, L2 are predetermined by the distancestate calculator 13 using the lane width A, and may be set to any valuesby the user.

Alternatively, the distance state calculator 13 may dynamically changethe distance thresholds H, L1, L2 in accordance with a traveling sceneor a traveling situation of the user's vehicle 7. In this case, theabove-mentioned conditions for the positional relationship areautomatically changed in accordance with the traveling scene or thetraveling situation of the user's vehicle 7.

For example, the distance threshold H set at the left side of the user'svehicle 7 can be classified into the following three threshold values: avalue Hn for a close distance from the user's vehicle 7, a value Hm foran intermediate distance from the user's vehicle 7, and a value Hf for afar distance from the user's vehicle 7. The distance threshold H can bechanged into one of the threshold values Hn, Hm, and Hf in accordancewith the traveling scene or the traveling situation of the user'svehicle 7.

Similarly, the distance thresholds L1, L2 set at the back of the user'svehicle 7 can be classified into the following three pairs of values: apair of values L1 n, L2 n for close distances from the user's vehicle 7,a pair of values L1 m, L2 m for intermediate distances from the user'svehicle 7, and a pair of values L1 f, L2 f for far distances from theuser's vehicle 7. The distance thresholds L1, L2 can be changed into oneof the pair of L1 f and L2 f, the pair of L1 m and L2 m, and the pair ofL1 f and L2 f in accordance with the traveling scene or the travelingsituation of the user's vehicle 7.

Let us assume that the user's vehicle is stuck in a traffic jam or theuser's vehicle is waiting for traffic signal change. In such a travelingscene, the relative velocity between the user's vehicle and the targetvehicle is smaller as compared to the case in which the user's vehicleis traveling at the legal speed set for the local road.

Also, in a traveling situation where the relative velocity between theuser's vehicle and the target vehicle, which is measured by the vehicledetector 11, is less than a predetermined threshold value of relativevelocity, the relative velocity between the user's vehicle and thetarget vehicle is smaller as compared to the case in which the user'svehicle is traveling at the legal speed set for the local road.

Such a traveling scene or a traveling situation is illustrated in FIG.4. In this case, a probability of contact between the user's vehicle 7and the target vehicle T is lower as compared to the case in which theuser's vehicle 7 is traveling at the legal speed set for the local road.Thus, the distance state calculator 13 changes distance thresholds L1,L2 into the threshold values Hn, L1 n, L2 n, respectively.

Thereby, the attention zone and the alert zone become narrower as shownin FIG. 4.

On the other hand, let us assume that the user's vehicle is traveling ona highway. In such a traveling scene, the relative velocity between theuser's vehicle and the target vehicle is larger as compared to the casein which the user's vehicle is traveling at the legal speed set for thelocal road. Let us assume that the relative velocity between the user'svehicle and the target vehicle, which is measured by the vehicledetector 11, is more than a predetermined threshold value of relativevelocity. In such a traveling situation, the relative velocity betweenthe user's vehicle and the target vehicle is larger as compared to thecase in which the user's vehicle is traveling at the legal speed set forthe local road.

Such a traveling scene or a traveling situation is illustrated in FIG.5. In this case, a probability of contact between the user's vehicle 7and a following target vehicle T is higher as compared to the case inwhich the user's vehicle 7 is traveling at the legal speed set for thelocal road. Thus, the distance state calculator 13 changes distancethresholds L1, L2 of the distances into the threshold values L1 f, L2 f,respectively. Thereby, the attention zone and the alert zone at the backof the user's vehicle 7 become broader as shown in FIG. 5.

In the case shown in FIG. 5, the relative velocity between the user'svehicle 7 and another vehicle T that is present at the left side of theuser's vehicle 7 is not substantially changed. Thus, the distance statecalculator 13 does not change the distance threshold H shown in FIG. 3.

As mentioned above, the distance threshold H set at the left side of theuser's vehicle 7 and the distance thresholds L1, L2 set at the back ofthe user's vehicle 7 may not be necessarily changed at the same time,and are appropriately changed in accordance with the traveling scene orthe traveling situation.

Next, a displaying process for displaying the image of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle in Step ST4 shown in FIG. 2 will bedescribed in detail.

The informing processor 15 displays, on the display, the iconcorresponding to the type of a moving object identified by the vehicletype identifier 14, in accordance with the positional relationshipbetween the moving object and the range of the distance from the user'svehicle, which is successively calculated and acquired by the distancestate calculator 13.

FIG. 6 illustrates the image of the nearby surroundings of a user'svehicle displayed by the informing device 16, including the images ofthe user's vehicle and threshold lines arranged at the sides of theuser's vehicle. In FIG. 6, the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicleare viewed in a plan view. In the image 16A of the nearby surroundingsof the user's vehicle as shown in FIG. 6, an icon 17 indicating theuser's vehicle is located at the center of the image. At both sides ofthe icon 17 indicating the user's vehicle, a plurality of the thresholdlines 18 a, 19 a, 18 b, 19 b is displayed.

Moreover, in the image 16A of the nearby surroundings of the user'svehicle, icons 20, 21 indicating target vehicles as moving objectsaround the user's vehicle are displayed.

The threshold lines 19 a, 19 b disposed in the lateral direction, whichare arranged at close distances from the user's vehicle and at bothsides of the user's vehicle, correspond to the distance thresholds thatdefine alert zones arranged at the lateral sides of the user's vehicle.The threshold lines 19 a, 19 b can be obtained by drawing lines alongthe road R, each line passing through a point located the distance Haway from one lateral side of the user's vehicle 7 as shown in FIGS. 3to 5.

The alert zones arranged at the lateral sides of the user's vehiclecorrespond to the range of distance that is a region sandwiched inbetween the threshold lines 19 a and 19 b.

For example, the alert zone is a surrounded zone defined by margindistances set in front of and at the back of the user's vehicle and thedistance thresholds H set at the lateral sides of the user's vehicle.Even when another target vehicle beyond the margin distances istraveling ahead of or behind the user's vehicle and passes across thethreshold line 19 a or 19 b, the target vehicle is not judged to havemoved into the alert zone. The margin distances may be set based on thedistance thresholds L1 and L2 set in front of and at the back of theuser's vehicle.

Alternatively, without using the margin distances, the alert zone may bea surrounded zone defined by a distance substantially equal to thelongitudinal length of the user's vehicle and the distance thresholds Hset at the lateral sides of the user's vehicle.

The threshold lines 18 a, 18 b disposed in the lateral direction, whichare arranged at both sides of the user's vehicle, correspond to thedistance thresholds that define attention zones arranged at both sidesof the user's vehicle. The threshold lines 18 a, 18 b can be obtained bydrawing lines along the road R, each line passing through a pointlocated the threshold distance of (A−C)/2 away from one side of theuser's vehicle.

The attention zones arranged at the lateral sides of the user's vehiclecorrespond to the ranges of distance that are regions sandwiched inbetween the threshold lines 18 a and 18 b and positioned beyond thethreshold lines 19 a and 19 b.

For example, the attention zones are surrounded zones defined by margindistances set in front of and at the back of the user's vehicle and thedistances (A−C)/2−H set at the lateral sides of the user's vehicle. Evenwhen the target vehicle traveling ahead of or behind the user's vehicleand beyond the margin distances from the user's vehicle passes acrossthe threshold line 18 a or 18 b, the target vehicle is not judged tohave moved into the attention zone. The margin distances may be setbased on the distance thresholds L1 and L2 set in front of and at theback of the user's vehicle. Alternatively, without using the margindistances, the attention zone may be a surrounded zone defined by adistance substantially equal to the longitudinal length of the user'svehicle and the distances (A−C)/2−H set at the lateral sides of theuser's vehicle.

FIG. 7 illustrates an image of the nearby surroundings of a user'svehicle including the images of the user's vehicle and threshold linesarranged in front of and at the back of the user's vehicle. In FIG. 7,the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle are viewed in a plan viewlike FIG. 6. In the image 16B of the nearby surroundings of the user'svehicle as shown in FIG. 7, the icon 17 indicating the user's vehicle islocated at the center of the image. In front of the icon 17 of theuser's vehicle, threshold lines 22 b, 23 b are displayed. At the back ofthe icon 17 of the user's vehicle, threshold lines 22 a, 23 a aredisplayed.

Moreover, in the image 16B of the nearby surroundings of the user'svehicle, the icons 20, 21 indicating the target vehicles as movingobjects around the user's vehicle are displayed.

The threshold lines 23 a, 23 b, which are arranged at close distancesfrom the user's vehicle and in front of and at the back of the user'svehicle, correspond to the distance thresholds that define an alertzone. Each threshold line is, for example, a displayed line that passesthrough a point the threshold distance of L1 away from the front or rearof the user's vehicle shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. The alert zone arranged atthe front and rear of the user's vehicle is the range of distance thatis a region sandwiched in between the threshold lines 23 a and 23 b.

The threshold lines 22 a, 22 b, which are arranged in front of or at theback of the user's vehicle, correspond to the distance thresholds thatdefine attention zones in front of and at the back of the user'svehicle. Each threshold line is, for example, a displayed line thatpasses through a point the threshold distance of (L1+L2) away from thefront or rear of the user's vehicle shown in FIGS. 3 to 5.

The attention zones in front of and at the back of the user's vehicleare the ranges of distance that are disposed beyond the threshold lines23 a, 23 b and sandwiched in between the threshold lines 22 a and 22 b.

FIG. 8 illustrates an image of the nearby surroundings of a user'svehicle including the images of the user's vehicle and threshold linesarranged at the sides of, in front of and at the back of the user'svehicle. In FIG. 8, the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle areviewed in a plan view.

As shown in FIG. 8, the image 16C of the nearby surroundings of theuser's vehicle shows a combination of the attention zone and alert zoneshown in FIG. 6 and the attention zone and alert zone shown in FIG. 7.

The threshold lines shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 may be displayed at aprescribed small scale corresponding to actual distances of the realworld. Alternatively, the threshold lines may be displayed at a largerscale to enhance visibility of the user.

The moving object around the user's vehicle is continuously displayed bythe icon corresponding to the type of the moving object.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating examples of icons indicating targetvehicles. Each icon is set corresponding to a vehicle type. In theinforming processor 15, the icons corresponding to the vehicle types areregistered in advance. The vehicle types represent a normal-sizedvehicle, a small-sized vehicle, and a large-sized vehicle as shown inFIG. 9. The informing processor 15 matches the type of a target vehicleidentified by the vehicle type identifier 14, against the registeredvehicle types associated with the icons, thus identifying itscorresponding icon.

Correspondences between the types of moving objects and the icons may beset by a user.

In this case, since the moving object is displayed by the icon set bythe user himself/herself, he/she can more easily recognize the type ofthe moving object that is approaching to the user's vehicle.

Next, the change of the image of the nearby surroundings of the user'svehicle in accordance with the traveling state of another target vehiclewill be explained.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image 16A displayed onthe display 16D when the driving of the target vehicle to the user'svehicle is in a safe state. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating anexemplary image 16A displayed on the display 16D when the driving of thetarget vehicle to the user's vehicle is in an attention-requiring state.FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayed when thedriving of the target vehicle to the user's vehicle is in an alertstate. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary image displayedwhen the target vehicle further approaches the user's vehicle from aposition shown in FIG. 12.

FIGS. 10 to 13 illustrate representations of exemplary images of thenearby surroundings of a user's vehicle displayed on a display screen16D of an instrument panel in the user's vehicle. Specifically, thedisplay screen 16D displays the image 16A of the nearby surroundings ofa user's vehicle, in addition to display items in the instrument panel,such as a residual fuel meter 24, a tachometer 25, and a current value26 of a vehicle's engine speed.

When a moving object with a safe state is outside the attention zone setfor the user's vehicle, the icon 17 indicating the user's vehicle andthe threshold lines 18 a, 19 a, 18 b, 19 b that define theabove-described zones are appearing in the image 16A of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle.

In this regard, as shown in FIG. 10, even in the case of the safe state,the icons 20, 21 indicating other target vehicles detected around theuser's vehicle may be displayed to appear in the image 16A of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle.

Note that the positional relationship between each zone set for theuser's vehicle and the target vehicle is updated in real-time by usingconsecutively calculated positional relationship acquired by thedistance state calculator 13.

Moreover, in the case of the safe state, the icon 17 indicating theuser's vehicle and the icons 20, 21 indicating the target vehicles aredisplayed with a default color. This default color may be the same coloras a background color of the image 16A of the nearby surroundings of theuser's vehicle so as not to draw attention of the user.

When the target vehicle moves into an attention zone from the positionshown in FIG. 10 while being kept outside an alert zone, if the distancestate calculator 13 determines that the an attention-requiring stateoccurs, the informing processor 15 changes the image 16A of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle into a display pattern correspondingto the attention-requiring state.

For example, as shown in FIG. 11, when the target vehicle moves into theattention zone arranged at the right side of the user's vehicle, theinforming processor 15 changes both the color of the icon 20 indicatingthe target vehicle that has moved into the attention zone and the colorof the right-hand region including this attention zone, into anattention-drawing color. The attention-drawing color corresponds to afirst color in this invention. The attention-drawing color is, forexample, yellow that is capable of drawing the attention of the user.However, since attitudes toward colors depend on countries and theircultures, the attention-drawing color is not limited to yellow in thisinvention.

The informing processor 15 causes a display item drawing the attentionof the user to appear near the icon 17 indicating the user's vehicle inthe image 16A of the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle.

The display item drawing the attention can be freely selected under thecondition that the display item can draw the attention of the user aboutthe approach of the target vehicle to the user's vehicle. For example,the display items are an attention mark 27 and letters 28 of “Caution”.In FIG. 11, the display items are arranged in front of and in thetraveling direction of the user's vehicle. Alternatively, the displayitems can be arranged at another place on which the user can visuallyfocus with ease.

With such a display, the user can intuitively recognize which directionthe user should pay attention to.

In addition, in the image 16A of the nearby surroundings of the user'svehicle, the threshold lines 18 a, 19 a, 18 b, 19 b that defineattention zones at both sides of the user's vehicle are displayed so asto extend along the road R on which the user's vehicle is traveling.When the target vehicle moves into the attention zone arranged at oneside of the user's vehicle, the informing processor 15 changes the colorof the attention zone arranged at the corresponding side of the user'svehicle and appearing in the image 16A of the nearby surroundings of theuser's vehicle, into an attention-drawing color. In this case, theinforming processor 15 may change the color of the whole areapartitioned by the threshold lines 18 a, 19 a, 18 b, 19 b, into theattention-drawing color. For example, when another target vehicleapproaches the user's vehicle from the right side of the user's vehicle,the informing processor 15 can change the color of a band-shaped areaarranged at the right side of the user's vehicle including the attentionzone, into the attention-drawing color.

With such a display, the user can intuitively recognize the direction inwhich the target vehicle approaches from an area at either one of thelateral sides of the user's vehicle.

Note that the change to the attention-drawing color may be applied tothe attention zone or a region including the attention zone, and it isnot necessary to change the color of the icon indicating the targetvehicle which has moved into the attention zone.

Next, when the target vehicle further moves into the alert zone from theposition shown in FIG. 11, if the distance state calculator 13determines that an alert state occurs, the informing processor 15changes the contents of the image 16A of the nearby surroundings of theuser's vehicle into a display pattern corresponding to the alert state.With regard to the alert state, for example, the informing processor 15provides notification of an alert classified into two levels, to theuser.

As shown in FIG. 12, when the target vehicle passes across the thresholdline 19 b, the informing processor 15 changes both the color of thealert zone and the color the icon 20 indicating the target vehicle whichhas moved into the alert zone, from the default color into an alertcolor which is red. The informing processor 15 also changes the color ofthe attention zone through which the target vehicle moves into the alertzone, into a different alert color, such as pale red, which differs intone from the alert color.

The alert color corresponds to a second color in this invention. As thealert color, red providing high visibility is exemplified. However,since the attitudes toward colors depend on countries and theircultures, the alert color is not limited to red in this invention.

As mentioned above, the ranges of distance from the user's vehicle, suchas the attention zone and the alert zone, are set at different regionsdepending upon distances from the user's vehicle.

When the target vehicle moves into one or more ranges of the ranges ofdistance, the informing processor 15 changes the display colors of theone or more ranges of distance or the display colors of both the imageof the target vehicle and the one or more ranges of distance, in amanner that the display color of the alert zone which is a close rangeof distance from the user's vehicle is different from the display colorof the attention zone which is a far range of distance from the user'svehicle. Thereby, the user can intuitively recognize that the targetvehicle approaches the user's vehicle at what range of distance, on thebasis of the change of the displayed color.

Moreover, the informing processor changes the display color of theattention zone through which the target vehicle has passed, into a colorresembling the alert color, in addition to the changing of the color ofthe alert zone. Thereby, the user can easily recognize the directionfrom which the target vehicle approaches the user's vehicle, on thebasis of a stepwise color change.

Moreover, the informing processor 15 causes an alert display item toappear near the icon 17 indicating the user's vehicle in the image 16Aof the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle.

The alert display item can be freely selected under the condition thatthe alert display item can alert the user that the driving maneuver toavoid the approach of the target vehicle to the user's vehicle isrequired. For example, alert display items are the attention mark 27 andletters 29 of “Hit the Brakes”. With such a display, the user canintuitively recognize that the target vehicle approaches the user'svehicle by a position where the target vehicle is likely to come incontact with the user's vehicle.

In FIG. 12, the alert display items are arranged at the front side ofthe icon 17 in the traveling direction of the user's vehicle.Alternatively, the display items may be arranged at another place onwhich the user can visually focus with ease.

As described above, when another target vehicle moves into the attentionzone or the alert zone, the informing processor 15 changes the contentsand sizes of the mark and displayed letters which are associated withdrawing of the attention of the user, in a manner that the contents andsizes differ between the attention zone that is a far range of distancefrom the user's vehicle, and the alert zone that is a close range ofdistance from the user's vehicle.

With such a display, the user can intuitively recognize how close thetarget vehicle is to the user's vehicle, on the basis of the contents ofthe mark and the displayed letters.

Moreover, when the target vehicle passes across the threshold line 19 b,as shown in FIG. 12, the informing processor 15 causes the displayscreen 16D of the display device to display a translucent blur 30 withan alert color in a region corresponding to the direction from which thetarget vehicle approaches the user's vehicle.

Note that the translucent blur 30 is semi-transparent and is displayedas a gradation pattern in which the alert color gradually becomes deepertoward the direction from which the target vehicle approaches the user'svehicle.

With such a display, the user can recognize the direction in which thetarget vehicle approaches the user's vehicle. Thus, the user canintuitively recognize that it is necessary to hit the brakes because thetarget vehicle approaches the user's vehicle from the right side.

Alternatively, a plurality of light emitting elements may be disposed atplaces on which the user can visually focus with ease. The informingprocessor 15 can cause the light emitting element disposed at the placeclose to the target vehicle in the direction in which the target vehicleapproaches the user's vehicle, to emit light instead of using thetranslucent blur 30. In this case, the plurality of light emittingelements can be used as the informing device 16.

Next, when the target vehicle further moves into the alert zone from theposition shown in FIG. 12, the informing processor 15 changes the image16A of the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle into a displaypattern corresponding to a higher alert state.

For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the informing processor 15 enlargesthe size of the alert display items as compared to the case shown inFIG. 12, and arranges the enlarged alert display items at the center ofthe image 16A of the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle. Thereby,the user can strongly recognize that it is necessary to hit the brakes.

Moreover, the informing processor 15 changes the translucent blur 30into a blur 31 and enlarges the displayed area of the blur as the targetvehicle approaches the user's vehicle. In the case where, as shown inFIG. 13, the target vehicle approaches the user's vehicle from the rightside, the blur 31 is displayed on the right-hand portion of the displayscreen 16D.

Note that the blur 31 is also a translucent blur colored with the alertcolor like the translucent blur 30. The blur 31 is displayed as agradation pattern in which the alert color gradually becomes deepertoward the direction from which the target vehicle approaches the user'svehicle.

With such a display, when the user glances at the display screen 16D,from the large-sized blur 31, the user can easily recognize that theright side of the user's vehicle will be in a dangerous state due to theapproach of the target vehicle.

The display screen 16D may have a plurality of image layers La1, La2 andL3 to L6 as shown in FIG. 14. In this case, it can be configured that,the closer the target vehicle approaches the user's vehicle, the higheris the level of a specific image layer on which the informing processor15 causes the translucent blur to be displayed in a manner that thelevel of the specific image layer is lower than or equal to the level ofan image layer L6 displaying a predetermined important display item suchas the current value 26 of a vehicle's engine speed.

For example, in the traveling state of the target vehicle as shown inFIG. 12, the translucent blur 30 is displayed on the image layer L3whose level is lower than the level of the image layer L4 displaying thetachometer 25 on the right-hand portion of the display screen 16D andhigher than the level of the image layer L2 displaying the residual fuelmeter 24. With such a configuration, the translucent blur 30 isdisplayed as if the translucent blur is projected from under thetachometer 25.

In a state in which the target vehicle further approaches the user'svehicle shown in FIG. 13, the blur 31 is displayed on a higher imagelayer L5. Note that the level of the higher image layer displaying theblur 31 is not higher than the level of the image layer L6 displayingthe current value 26 of the vehicle's engine speed which is theindispensable display item.

Namely, the large-sized blur 31 is displayed on the image screen 16Dunder the condition that the blur 31 is not displayed on an image layerhaving a higher level than that of the image layer displaying animportant display item such as a vehicle's engine speed or vehiclevelocity that is legally required to be displayed. With such an imagelayer structure, display items that are hidden by the blur 31 can be thefewest possible items.

In the above-mentioned examples, the positional relationship among thetarget vehicle, the attention zones at both sides of the user's vehicle,and the alert zone has been explained. In another example in which theimage 16C of the nearby surroundings of a user's vehicle shows acombination of an alert zone and attention zones at both sides of, infront of and at the back of the user's vehicle, it is possible todetermine the traveling state of the target vehicle like theabove-mentioned examples.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary display of the ranges ofdistance set at both sides of, in front of and at the back of the user'svehicle. In FIG. 15, an area A is a region including the attention zonedefined by the threshold lines 18 a, 19 a at the left side of the user'svehicle, and an area B is a region including the attention zone definedby the threshold lines 18 b, 19 b at the right side of the user'svehicle. A zone C corresponds to the attention zone defined by thethreshold lines 22 b, 23 b in front of the user's vehicle, and a zone Dcorresponds to the attention zone defined by the threshold lines 22 a,23 a at the back of the user's vehicle. A zone E corresponds to thealert zone defined by the threshold lines 19 a, 19 b, 23 a, 23 b. Notethat the letters “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, and “E” are not displayed in theactual image 16C of the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle.

When the target vehicle indicated by the icon 32 moves into an attentionzone from the left side, the informing processor 15 changes the color ofthe whole area A in the image 16C of the nearby surroundings of theuser's vehicle, into yellow that is an attention-drawing color, as shownin FIG. 16. Similarly, when the target vehicle moves into the attentionzone D from its rear side, the informing processor 15 changes the colorof the attention zone D in the image 16C of the nearby surroundings ofthe user's vehicle, into yellow, as shown in FIG. 17.

When the target vehicle passes across the threshold line 19 a from theposition indicated in shown in FIG. 16, the informing processor 15changes the color of the alert zone E in the image 16C of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle, into red that is an alert color, andchanges the color of the area A including the attention zone from whichthe target vehicle has moved into the alert zone, into pale red, asshown in FIG. 18.

Similarly, when the target vehicle passes across the threshold line 23 afrom a position indicated in shown in FIG. 17, the informing processor15 changes the color of the alert zone E in the image 16C of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle, into red that is the alert color,and changes the color of a rear area including the attention zone D fromwhich the target vehicle has moved into the alert zone, into pale red.

As mentioned above, when the target vehicle moves into an attention zoneat the lateral side of, in front of, or at the back of the user'svehicle, the informing processor 15 may change the color of the wholearea including the attention zone which is defined by the extendingthreshold lines. With such a display, the user can easily recognize thatthe target vehicle approaching to the user's vehicle is present in frontof or at the back of the user's vehicle.

When another target vehicle moves from an area at one side of the user'svehicle, into attention zones defined at the side of and at the back ofthe user's vehicle, or into attention zones defined at the side of andin front of the user's vehicle, the informing processor 15 changes thecolor of an area including the attention zone close to the area at theside of the user's vehicle from which the target vehicle has moved, intoan attention color.

For example, as shown in FIG. 20, when the target vehicle moves, from anarea at the left side of the user's vehicle, into attention zonesdefined at the left side of and at the back of the user's vehicle, theinforming processor 15 changes the color of the left side area Aincluding the attention zone at the left side of the user's vehicle intoyellow, while the informing processor 15 does not change the color ofthe attention zone D at the back of the user's vehicle.

When the target vehicle further moves into the attention zone D from theposition indicated in FIG. 20, the informing processor 15 changes thecolor of the left side area A into the default color, and changes thecolor of the alert zone D into yellow, as shown in FIG. 21. With such adisplay, the user can easily recognize from which side the targetvehicle approaches the user's vehicle.

When two or more other target vehicles move into the attention zone andthe alert zone, the informing processor 15 changes the display color ofthe zone into which each target vehicle moves, or the display colors ofboth an image of each target vehicle and the zone into which the targetvehicle moves, into a display color corresponding to the zone into whicheach target vehicle moves.

For example, as shown in FIG. 22, there is a case where target vehiclesindicated by the icons 33 and 34 move into an area A including anattention zone at the left side of the user's vehicle, and an alert zoneD at the back of the user's vehicle, respectively. In this case, theinforming processor 15 changes the colors of the area A the attentionzone D into yellow that is a color corresponding to the attention zone.

When one target vehicle further moves into the alert zone E from theposition indicated in FIG. 22, as shown in a display patterncorresponding to alert zones of FIG. 23, the informing processor 15changes the color of the alert zone E into red, and changes the color ofthe area A into pale red.

As explained above, even in the case where the two or more targetvehicles exist, the display color of the nearby zone in the directionalong which each target vehicle approaches is changed into a colordepending on the degree of closeness in distance between the user'svehicle and each target vehicle. Therefore, the user can recognize thedegree of closeness in distance for each of the target vehicles, on thebasis of the change of the display color.

Moreover, the informing processor 15 displays, on the display, the imageof the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle including a plan-viewimage or bird's-eye-view image of both the user's vehicle and the targetvehicle. Thereby, it is possible to clearly display a positionalrelationship between the user's vehicle and the target vehicle.

In generating the image of the nearby surroundings of a user's vehicle,as the target vehicle approaches the user's vehicle, the informingprocessor 15 may move a location of a viewpoint from which the user'svehicle is viewed in the plan-view or the bird's-eye-view, closer to theuser's vehicle.

For example, when the positional relationship between the user's vehicleand the target vehicle is in a safe state, the location of the viewpointis set at the farthest position from the user's vehicle in a verticaldirection. FIG. 24A illustrates the image 16E of the nearby surroundingsof a user's vehicle when viewed from the farthest viewpoint.

When the target vehicle indicated by an icon 35 approaches the user'svehicle from the position indicated in FIG. 24A, giving rise to anattention-requiring state, the location of the viewpoint is moved closerto the user's vehicle from its location in the safe state. FIG. 24Billustrates the image 16F of the nearby surroundings of a user's vehiclewhen viewed from that viewpoint. In the image 16F of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle, the icon 17 indicating the user'svehicle and the icon 35 indicating the target vehicle are enlarged ascompared to those in the safe state.

When the target vehicle indicated by the icon 35 further approaches theuser's vehicle, giving rise to an alert state, the location of theviewpoint is moved closer to the user's vehicle from its location in theattention-requiring state.

FIG. 24C illustrates the image 16G of the nearby surroundings of theuser's vehicle when viewed from that viewpoint. In the image 16G of thenearby surroundings of the user's vehicle, the icon 17 indicating theuser's vehicle and the icon 35 indicating the target vehicle areenlarged for display as compared to those in the attention-requiringstate.

As mentioned above, as the target vehicle approaches the user's vehicle,the informing processor moves the location of the viewpoint from whichthe user's vehicle is viewed in the plan-view or the bird's-eye-view,closer to the user's vehicle. Thereby, it is possible to display thepositional relationship between the user's vehicle and the targetvehicle in an expanded manner such that the user can easily recognizethe positional relationship.

In generating the image of the nearby surroundings of the user'svehicle, as the target vehicle approaches the user's vehicle, theinforming processor 15 may move, in the horizontal direction, thelocation of the viewpoint from which the user's vehicle is viewed in theplan-view or the bird's-eye-view such that the image of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle shows the target vehicle.

For example, when the positional relationship between the user's vehicleand the target vehicle is in the safe state or when the target vehicleis not present around the user's vehicle, the location of the viewpointis set just above the user's vehicle. FIG. 25B illustrates the image 16Iof the nearby surroundings of a user's vehicle when viewed from thatviewpoint.

When the target vehicle moves into the attention zone arranged in frontof the user's vehicle from the position indicated in FIG. 25B, theinforming processor 15 moves the location of the viewpoint forward inthe horizontal direction. FIG. 25A illustrates the image 16H of thenearby surroundings of the user's vehicle when viewed from such aviewpoint. By moving the viewpoint from which the user's vehicle isviewed, forward in the horizontal direction, the icon 17 indicating theuser's vehicle is arranged at the center of the image 16H of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle, and the icon 35 indicating thetarget vehicle is arranged ahead of the icon 17.

When the target vehicle moves into the attention zone arranged at theback of the user's vehicle from the position indicated in FIG. 25B, theinforming processor 15 moves the viewpoint backward in the horizontaldirection. FIG. 25C illustrates the image 16J of the nearby surroundingsof the user's vehicle when viewed from such a viewpoint. By moving theviewpoint from which the user's vehicle is viewed, backward in thehorizontal direction, the icon 17 indicating the user's vehicle isarranged at the center of the image 16J of the nearby surroundings ofthe user's vehicle, and the icon 35 indicating the target vehicle isarranged at the rear side of the icon 17.

In FIG. 25A and FIG. 25C, a case in which the viewpoint is moved forwardor backward is illustrated. Alternatively, the viewpoint may be moved ina left or right direction when the target vehicle approaches the user'svehicle from the left or right side.

As mentioned above, as the target vehicle approaches the user's vehicle,the informing processor moves, in the horizontal direction, the locationof the viewpoint from which the user's vehicle is viewed in theplan-view or the bird's-eye-view such that the image of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle shows the target vehicle. Thereby, itis possible to appropriately display the target vehicle approaching tothe user's vehicle in the image of the nearby surroundings of the user'svehicle.

In generating the image of the nearby surroundings of the user'svehicle, the informing processor 15 may move the viewpoint in thevertical direction as well as in the horizontal direction. Thereby, itis possible to appropriately display the target vehicle approaching tothe user's vehicle in the image of the nearby surroundings of the user'svehicle in an expanded manner.

In Embodiment 1, a case has been described where the distance statecalculator 13 performs a calculation on the basis of the measurementinformation obtained by the distance determiner 12 to thereby acquirethe positional relationship between the moving object and the one ormore ranges of distance from the user's vehicle in each of which anotification of approach of the moving object is to be provided.Nonetheless, the invention is not limited to the case in which thedistance state calculator 13 itself calculates the above-mentionedpositional relationship.

Namely, the distance state calculator 13 can also function as anacquiring unit in the invention, and may be configured to acquire thepositional relationship by receiving information on the positionalrelationship between the moving object and the one or more ranges ofdistance from the user's vehicle in each of which a notification ofapproach of the moving object, from an external device that has beencalculated the positional relationship.

In this case, the driving support apparatus 1 may not have the vehicledetector 11 and the distance determiner 12. In addition, when theinforming processor 15 generates a predetermined image as the icon of amoving object regardless of the type of the moving object, the drivingsupport apparatus 1 may not have the vehicle type identifier 14.

As mentioned above, the driving support apparatus according toEmbodiment 1 includes at least the distance state calculator 13 and theinforming processor 15.

The distance state calculator 13 determines the positional relationshipbetween another target vehicle and the attention and alert zones thatare the ranges of distance from the user's vehicle in each of which anotification of approach of the moving object is to be provided. Theinforming processor 15 causes the display to display the image of thenearby surroundings of the user's vehicle including the images of theuser's vehicle and threshold lines defining the range of distance, andchanges the image of the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle inaccordance with the positional relationship acquired by the distancestate calculator 13. As mentioned above, in Embodiment 1, the image ofthe nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle including the images ofthe user's vehicle and threshold lines defining the range of distance isdisplayed on the display device, and the image of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle is changed in accordance with thepositional relationship between the moving object and the attention andalert zones.

Thereby, the user can intuitively recognize the situation of the user'svehicle and the situation around the user's vehicle.

According to Embodiment 1, the informing processor 15 causes the imageof the moving object to appear in the image of the nearby surroundingsof the user's vehicle, in accordance with the above-mentioned positionalrelationship acquired by the distance state calculator 13.

Thereby, the user can intuitively recognize the positional relationshipbetween the user's vehicle and the moving object around the user'svehicle.

According to Embodiment 1, the driving support apparatus includes thevehicle type identifier 14 that determines the type of the targetvehicle detected by the vehicle detector 11, and the informing processor15 causes the image of the target vehicle corresponding to the typewhich is determined by the vehicle type identifier 14, to appear in theimage of the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle.

In this manner, since the informing processor automatically displays theimage corresponding to the type which is determined by the vehicle typeidentifier 14, as the image of the target vehicle, the user canintuitively recognize the target vehicle.

According to Embodiment 1, the ranges of distance from the user'svehicle, such as the attention zone and the alert zone, are set atdifferent regions depending upon distances from the user's vehicle.

When the target vehicle moves into one or more ranges of distance, theinforming processor 15 changes the display colors of the one or moreranges of distance or the display colors of both the image of the targetvehicle and the one or more ranges of distance, into a display color ina manner that the display color of the alert zone which is a close rangeof distance from the user's vehicle is different from the display colorof the attention zone which is a far range of distance from the user'svehicle. Thereby, the user can intuitively recognize that the targetvehicle approaches the user's vehicle at what range of distance, on thebasis of the change of the displayed color.

According to Embodiment 1, when two or more target vehicles move intotheir respective different ranges of distance at the same time, theinforming processor 15 changes the display colors of the ranges ofdistance into which their respective target vehicles move, or thedisplay colors of both an image of their respective target vehicles andthe corresponding ranges of distance into which their respective targetvehicles move, into display colors corresponding to the ranges ofdistance into which their respective target vehicles move. In the casewhere such two or more target vehicles exit, the display color of therange of distance in the direction along which each target vehicleapproaches the user's vehicle is changed into the color corresponding tothe degree of closeness in distance between those vehicles. Therefore,the user can recognize the degree of closeness in distance for each ofthe two or more target vehicles, on the basis of the change of thedisplay color.

According to Embodiment 1, when the target vehicle moves into theattention zone, the informing processor 15 changes the color of theattention zone or the colors of both the image of the target vehicle andthe attention zone, into an attention-drawing color. When the targetvehicle moves from the attention zone into the alert zone closer to theuser's vehicle, the informing processor 15 changes the color of thealert zone or the colors of both the image of the target vehicle and thealert zone, into an alert color, and also changes the color of theattention zone through which the target vehicle moves into the alertzone, into a different alert color that differs in tone from the alertcolor.

In this case, the color of the alert zone is changed into the alertcolor, and the color of the attention zone through which the targetvehicle moves into the alert zone is also changed into the differentalert color resembling the alert color. Thereby, the user can easilyrecognize the direction from which the target vehicle approaches theuser's vehicle, on the basis of the stepwise color change.

According to Embodiment 1, when the target vehicle moves into the rangeof distance, the informing processor 15 causes the display screen 16D ofthe display for displaying the image of the nearby surroundings of theuser's vehicle, to display the translucent blur 30 with a predeterminedcolor on an area corresponding to the direction from which the targetvehicle approaches the user's vehicle. The informing processor 15 alsochanges the translucent blur 30 into another blur 31, and enlarges thesize of the area displaying the blur as the target vehicle approachesthe user's vehicle. Thereby, the user can easily recognize the directionfrom which the target vehicle approaches the user's vehicle, on thebasis of the translucent blur 30 and the blur 31, when the user glancesat the display screen 16D.

According to Embodiment 1, the display screen 16D of the display has theplurality of image layers. In this case, the closer the target vehicleapproaches the user's vehicle, the higher is the level of the imagelayer on which the informing processor 15 causes the blur to appear in amanner that the level of the image layer is lower than or equal to thelevel of another image layer which displays a predetermined importantdisplay item such as the current value 26 of a vehicle's engine speed.Thereby, display items that are hidden by the blur can be the fewestpossible items.

According to Embodiment 1, the image 16A of the nearby surroundings ofthe user's vehicle shows the threshold lines 18 a, 19 a, 18 b, 19 b,which define the attention zones at both sides of the user's vehicle asthe ranges of distance as well as define the alert zone as another rangeof distance. The threshold lines 18 a, 19 a, 18 b, 19 b are displayed soas to extend along the road R on which the user's vehicle is traveling.

When the target vehicle moves into the range of distance arranged infront of, at the back of or at one side of the user's vehicle, theinforming processor 15 changes the color of the area including at leastone of the ranges of distance that is defined by the extending thresholdlines.

Thereby, the user can easily recognize that the target vehicleapproaching to the to user's vehicle is in front of or at the rear sideof the user's vehicle.

According to Embodiment 1, when the target vehicle moves into the rangeof distance, the informing processor 15 changes the contents and sizesof the mark and displayed letters which are associated with drawing ofattention of the user in a manner that the contents and sizes differbetween the attention zone that is a far range of distance from theuser's vehicle, and the alert zone that is a close range of distancefrom the user's vehicle. Thereby, the user can intuitively recognize howclose the target vehicle is to the user's vehicle, on the basis of thecontents of the mark and displayed letters.

According to Embodiment 1, the informing processor 15 displays, on thedisplay, the image of the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicleincluding one of the plan-view image of both the user's vehicle and thetarget vehicle and the bird's-eye-view image of both the user's vehicleand the target vehicle. Thereby, it is possible to clearly display thepositional relationship between the user's vehicle and the targetvehicle.

According to Embodiment 1, as the target vehicle approaches the user'svehicle, the informing processor 15 moves the location of the viewpointfrom which the user's vehicle is viewed in the plan-view or thebird's-eye-view, closer to the user's vehicle.

Thereby, it is possible to display the positional relationship betweenthe user's vehicle and the target vehicle in the expanded manner suchthat the user can easily recognize the positional relationship.

According to Embodiment 1, the informing processor 15 moves the locationof the viewpoint from which the user's vehicle is viewed in theplan-view or the bird's-eye-view in the horizontal direction such thatthe image of the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle shows thetarget vehicle as the target vehicle approaches the user's vehicle.Thereby, it is possible to appropriately display the target vehicleapproaching to the user's vehicle in the image of the nearbysurroundings of the user's vehicle.

Embodiment 2

FIG. 26 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a drivingsupport apparatus 1A in accordance with Embodiment 2. In FIG. 26, thedriving support apparatus 1A is an apparatus that informs a user of theapproach of a moving object such as another vehicle to a user's vehicle.The driving support apparatus 1A includes the information collector 10,the vehicle detector 11, the distance determiner 12, a distance statecalculator 13 a, the vehicle type identifier 14, the informing processor15, the informing device 16 and a user's vehicle state acquiring unit36.

Among components of the driving support apparatus 1A, the vehicledetector 11, the distance determiner 12, the distance state calculator13 a, the vehicle type identifier 14, the informing processor 15, andthe user's vehicle state acquiring unit 36 are constituted by aprocessor 100 such as a system LSI (Large-Scale Integrated Circuit) or aCentral Processing Unit (CPU) that executes a program stored in thememory 101

The informing processor 15 causes display of both an image indicatingthe driving maneuver that is determined by the distance state calculator13 a as a maneuver requiring the attention, and display of itemsassociated with drawing of the attention, to appear in the image of thenearby surroundings of the user's vehicle.

Next, operations will be described.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating operations of the driving supportapparatus in accordance with Embodiment 2, and indicating operations inwhich the driving support apparatus informs the user of the approach ofthe target vehicle to the user's vehicle.

In FIG. 27, processes in Step ST1 a to Step ST4 a are consecutively andrepeatedly executed until a user of the user's vehicle finishes driving.

In Step ST1 a, the information collector 10 monitors the situationaround the user's vehicle, and obtains the information indicating thesituation around the user's vehicle.

When the information collector 10 cannot obtain the information aboutthe road on which the user's vehicle is traveling, the user's vehiclestate acquiring unit 36 acquires, from an external device, theinformation about the lane width of the traffic route on which theuser's vehicle is traveling. At the same time, the user's vehicle stateacquiring unit 36 also acquires the vehicle information on the drivingmaneuver of the user's vehicle.

In Step ST2, the vehicle detector 11 receives the information indicatingthe situation around the user's vehicle obtained in real-time by theinformation collector 10 as similar with Step ST2 shown in FIG. 2, and,among the received information, identifies information on the movingobject and information on the stationary object.

After identifying the information on the moving object among theinformation indicating the situation around the user's vehicle, thevehicle detector 11 outputs the information on the moving object to thedistance determiner 12 and the vehicle type identifier 14.

The distance determiner 12 extracts information corresponding to therelative location of the moving object with respect to the user'svehicle from among the information on the moving object. Then, thedistance determiner 12 determines the distance between the moving objectand the user's vehicle in accordance with the information correspondingto the relative location.

Note that the determination of the distance between the moving objectand the to user's vehicle is continuously and repeatedly executed forthe moving object identified by the vehicle detector 11. The distancedeterminer 12 outputs the distance between the moving object and theuser's vehicle to the distance state calculator 13 a one after another.

The vehicle type identifier 14 extracts the appearance information ofthe moving object from among the information on the moving objectidentified by the vehicle detector 11. Then, the vehicle type identifier14 identifies the type of the moving object based on the appearanceinformation.

In Step ST3 a, the distance state calculator 13 a performs a calculationon the basis of both the measurement information obtained by thedistance determiner 12 and the information about the lane width of thetraffic route on which the user's vehicle is traveling, received by theuser's vehicle state acquiring unit 36, to thereby acquire thepositional relationship between the moving object and the one or moreranges of distance from the user's vehicle in each of which anotification of approach of the moving object is to be provided.

Further, the distance state calculator 13 a determines whether to drawthe attention of the user about the driving maneuver of the user'svehicle indicated by the vehicle information in accordance with both thevehicle information on the driving maneuver of the user's vehiclereceived by the user's vehicle state acquiring unit 36 and thepositional relationship between the range of distance from the user'svehicle and the target vehicle. For example, when the driving maneuverof the user's vehicle corresponds to the operation to activate theblinker, the distance state calculator 13 a determines whether to promptthe attention of the user about the driving maneuver in accordance withboth the positional relationship between the user's vehicle and thetarget vehicle approaching to the user's vehicle and a directionindicated by the blinker.

In Step ST4 a, the informing processor 15 causes both the imageindicating the driving maneuver and the display item associated withdrawing of the attention of the user, to appear in the image of thenearby surroundings of the user's vehicle when the distance statecalculator 13 a determines that the driving maneuver is a maneuverrequiring attention. For example, in a case where the operation toactivate a right blinker for the right-turn is executed when the targetvehicle approaches the user's vehicle from the right such that thedriving state of the target vehicle becomes in the attention-requiringstate, the informing processor 15 causes an arrow 37 indicating theright-turn to appear in the image 16A of the nearby surroundings of theuser's vehicle as shown in FIG. 28, and causes the display itemprompting the attention of the user to appear in the image 16A of thenearby surroundings of the user's vehicle. In this case, the itemsdrawing the attention of the user are the attention mark 27 and theletters 28 of “Caution”.

Thereby, the user can intuitively recognize that the driving maneuvercorresponding to the right-turn of the user's vehicle is a drivingmaneuver requiring attention about the target vehicle indicated by theicon 20. In the above-mentioned example, the driving maneuvercorresponding to the right turn is explained. This embodiment is alsoapplicable to the driving maneuver corresponding to the-left turn.

The processes in Step ST1 a to Step ST4 a are continuously andrepeatedly executed.

When the user drives the user's vehicle (NO in Step ST5 a), the processreturns to Step ST1 a and a series of processes in Step ST1 a to StepST4 a is repeatedly executed.

On the other hand, when the user stops driving the user's vehicle (YESin Step ST5 a), a series of processes in Step ST1 a to Step ST4 a isterminated.

Note that the stop of driving corresponds to, for example, a state inwhich a drive portion such as an engine of the user's vehicle is stoppedand power supply to electrical components of the user's vehicle isstopped.

Note that some processes explained in Embodiment 1 and some processesexplained in Embodiment 2 can be concurrently executed. For example,even if the information collector 10 can obtain the informationindicating the nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle, including thewhite lines at both sides of the lane, the user's vehicle stateacquiring unit 36 also obtains the existing road data about the road onwhich the user's vehicle is traveling. Thereby, the distance statecalculator 13 a can obtain more accurate road information by using acombination of the information obtained by the information collector 10and the information obtained by the user's vehicle state acquiring unit36.

Moreover, the distance state calculator is always able to determine thepositional relationship between the range of distance from the user'svehicle and the target vehicle. Thus, when the user tries to, forexample, perform the lane change of the user's vehicle or turn theuser's vehicle to the right or left, the distance state calculator canalways determine whether to prompt the attention of the user such thatthe user can recognize the approach of the target vehicle to the user'svehicle.

In Embodiment 2, a case has been described where the distance statecalculator 13 a performs a calculation on the basis of the measurementinformation obtained by the distance determiner 12 to thereby acquirethe positional relationship between a moving object and the one or moreranges of distance from the user's vehicle in each of which anotification of the approach of the moving object is to be provided.Nonetheless, the invention is not limited to the case in which thedistance state calculator 13 a itself calculates the above-mentionedpositional relationship.

Namely, the distance state calculator 13 a can function as an acquiringunit in the invention, similarly to Embodiment 1, and may be configuredto acquire the positional relationship by receiving information on thepositional relationship between the moving object and the range ofdistance in which a notification of the approach of the moving object isto be provided, from an external device that has been calculated thepositional relationship.

In this case, the driving support apparatus 1A may not have the vehicledetector 11 and the distance determiner 12. In addition, when theinforming processor generates a predetermined image as the icon of themoving object regardless of the type of the moving object, the drivingsupport apparatus 1A may not have the vehicle type identifier 14.

As described above, according to Embodiment 2, the informing processor15 causes the image indicating the driving maneuver requiring attentionand the display item prompting the attention, to appear in the image ofthe nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle.

Thereby, the user can intuitively recognize whether the driving maneuverof the user's vehicle requires the attention because the target vehicleapproaches the user's vehicle.

According to Embodiment 2, the distance state calculator 13 a performs acalculation to acquire the positional relationship between anothervehicle and the range of distance from the user's vehicle by using atleast one of the detected information about the road on which the user'svehicle is traveling and the existing road data about the road on whichthe user's vehicle is traveling. Thereby, even if the informationcollector 10 is not able to obtain the information about the road onwhich the user's vehicle is traveling, the distance state calculator cancalculate the positional relationship based on the existing road data.

In this disclosure, it is to be understood that an arbitrary combinationof two or more of the above-mentioned embodiments can be made, variouschanges can be made in an arbitrary component in accordance with any oneof the above-mentioned embodiments, and an arbitrary component inaccordance with any one of the above-mentioned embodiments can beomitted within the scope of the invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

When a driving support apparatus according to this disclosure is used, auser can intuitively recognize a positional relationship between auser's vehicle and a moving object around the user's vehicle. Thus, thedriving support apparatus according to this disclosure is suitable forsupporting a driving maneuver to avoid contact or collision between theuser's vehicle and the moving object.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

1A: driving support apparatus; 10: information collector; 11: vehicledetector; 12: distance determiner; 13, 13 a: distance state calculator;14: vehicle type identifier; 15: informing processor; 16: informingdevice; 16A to 16C, 16E to 16J: images of nearby surroundings of auser's vehicle; 16D: display screen; 17: user's vehicle; 18 a, 18 b, 19a, 19 b, 22 a, 22 b, 23 a, 23 b: threshold line; 20, 21, 32, 33, 34, 35:other vehicles; 24: residual fuel meter; 25: tachometer; 26: a currentvalue of speed at which engine of user's vehicle turns; 27: attentionmark; 28, 29: letters; 30, 31: blur; 36: user's vehicle state acquiringunit; and 37: arrow.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A driving support apparatus comprising: aprocessor to execute a program; and a memory to store therein theprogram which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor toperform operations comprising: acquiring a positional relationshipbetween at least one moving object and one or more different ranges ofdistance from a user's vehicle, each of the one or more ranges ofdistance being a range in which a notification of approach of the movingobject to the user's vehicle is to be provided; causing a display deviceto display an image of nearby surroundings of the user's vehicleincluding images of the user's vehicle, and threshold lines that definethe one or more ranges of distance; causing both an image indicating adriving maneuver which requires attention of a user driving the user'svehicle and a display item associated with drawing of the attention, toappear within the image of nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle;and changing the image of nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle inaccordance with the acquired positional relationship.
 2. The drivingsupport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operations furthercomprise causing an image of the moving object to appear within theimage of nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle, in accordance withthe acquired positional relationship.
 3. The driving support apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise:determining a type of the moving object; and causing the image of themoving object corresponding to the determined type to appear within theimage of nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle.
 4. The drivingsupport apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the operations furthercomprise, when the moving object moves into a one of the differentranges of distance, changing a size and contents of a display itemassociated with drawing of attention of the user, in a manner that asize and contents corresponding to the different range of distance closeto the user's vehicle are different from a size and contentscorresponding to another range of distance which is farther from theuser's vehicle than the different range of distance close to the user'svehicle.
 5. The driving support apparatus according to claim 2, whereinthe operations further comprise causing the display device to displaythe image of nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle representing aplan-view image of both the user's vehicle and the moving object or abird's-eye-view image of both the user's vehicle and the moving object.6. The driving support apparatus according to claim 5, wherein theoperations further comprise, as the moving object approaches the user'svehicle, moving a location of a viewpoint from which the user's vehicleis viewed in a plan-view or a bird's-eye-view, closer to the user'svehicle.
 7. The driving support apparatus according to claim 5, whereinthe operations further comprise, as the moving object approaches theuser's vehicle, moving, in a horizontal direction, a location of aviewpoint from which the user's vehicle is viewed in a plan-view or abird's-eye-view such that the image of nearby surroundings of the user'svehicle shows the moving object.
 8. The driving support apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein: the one or more different ranges ofdistance are to depend upon a distance from the user's vehicle; and theoperations further comprise, when the moving object moves into the oneor more ranges of distance, changing display colors of the one or moreranges of distance or display colors of both an image of the movingobject and the one or more ranges of distance in a manner that a displaycolor of a close range of distance is different from a display color ofanother range of distance which is farther from the user's vehicle thansaid close range of distance.
 9. The driving support apparatus accordingto claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise, when the movingobject moves into an area that is one of the different ranges ofdistance, changing a display color of said area of the different rangesof distance, or display colors of both an image of the moving object andsaid area of the different ranges of distance, into a color identifyingsaid area of the different ranges of distance.
 10. The driving supportapparatus according to claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:when the moving object moves into a first range of distance, changing adisplay color of the first range of distance or display colors of bothan image of the moving object and the first range of distance, into afirst display color; and when the moving object moves into a secondrange of distance being closer to the user's vehicle than the firstrange of distance, changing a display color of the second range ofdistance or display colors of both an image of the moving object and thesecond range of distance, into a second display color being differentfrom the first display color, while changing the display color of thefirst range of distance through which the moving object moves into thesecond range of distance, into the second display color that differsfrom the first display color.
 11. The driving support apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: when themoving object moves into a one of said different ranges of distance,causing the display device to display, in a display screen displayingthe image of nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle, a translucentblur with a color on an area corresponding to a direction from which themoving object approaches the user's vehicle; and enlarging a size of thearea displaying the translucent blur as the moving object approaches theuser's vehicle.
 12. The driving support apparatus according to claim 11,wherein the display screen of the display device is comprised of aplurality of image layers, wherein the operations further comprisecausing the translucent blur to appear on one layer of the image layersas the moving object approaches the user's vehicle, in a manner that alevel of the one layer is lower than or equal to a level of anotherlayer of the image layers which displays a predetermined display item ofinterest.
 13. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the user's vehicle has sides, a front and a back and wherein:the threshold lines that define at least some of the different ranges ofdistance arranged at a side of the user's vehicle appear in the image ofnearby surroundings of the user's vehicle so as to extend along a roadon which the user's vehicle is traveling; and the operations furthercomprise, when the moving object moves into a one of the differentranges of distance arranged at the side of the user's vehicle or infront or back of the user's vehicle, changing a display color of aregion which is defined by the extending threshold lines and includesthe one or more ranges of distance.
 14. The driving support apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise acquiringthe positional relationship between said at least one moving object andthe one or more different ranges of distance from the user's vehicle,using a lane width of a traffic route which is specified based on atleast one of a piece of sensor information detected from a road on whichthe user's vehicle is traveling and a piece of existing road dataassociated with the road.
 15. A driving support method comprising:acquiring a positional relationship between at least one moving objectand a range of distance from a user's vehicle, the range of distancebeing a range in which a notification of approach of the moving objectto the user's vehicle is to be provided; causing a display device todisplay an image of nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle includingimages of the user's vehicle, and threshold lines that define the rangeof distance; causing both an image indicating a driving maneuver whichrequires attention of a user driving the user's vehicle and a displayitem associated with drawing of the attention, to appear within theimage of nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle; and changing theimage of nearby surroundings of the user's vehicle in accordance withthe acquired positional relationship.